Being trained by Maria was NEVER easy. But it was well worth it. I don't remember ever doing a traditional bench press, barbell squat or Romanian deadlift with Maria. Not that they're not useful, but you don't necessarily need a trainer with you to do those. I do remember working my hips, glutes (that's your butt) and feet in ways I would never have conceived of on my own. I remember being told about the critical importance of post-workout stretching, and painful moments with the rolling stick (think of a foam roller, only ...
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Being trained by Maria was NEVER easy. But it was well worth it. I don't remember ever doing a traditional bench press, barbell squat or Romanian deadlift with Maria. Not that they're not useful, but you don't necessarily need a trainer with you to do those. I do remember working my hips, glutes (that's your butt) and feet in ways I would never have conceived of on my own. I remember being told about the critical importance of post-workout stretching, and painful moments with the rolling stick (think of a foam roller, only much more firm, and controlled by another person who, unlike you, cannot feel your pain when working the knots out of your tight muscles). I remember wondering when some of these (mostly untimed) sessions would be over. I also remember the results. I remember having Maria stretch me before a rec league game where I'd be matched up against a couple of then-current NBA players, and feeling as if I'd unwrapped a brand new pair of legs, despite having played two games the night before.I remember playing a week of pickup games at the University of Miami during the NBA lockout in 2011 and feeling so accomplished to see myself hanging, physically, with players from the top league in the world. And these were not fringe players. These were players who have All-Star selections, Max contracts, Olympic gold medals, MVP & Rookie of The Year awards and scoring titles to their names. I was running and jumping with them and didn't feel one bit out of place. I remember players asking me how they could get to a similar physical shape as me. I remember wondering how to translate what Maria was doing with me to any serious, hungry player. What you're reading about is the answer. The Ultimate Athlete was designed and written by Maria Sollon, with one mandate from me: Make an off-court training program, specifically for basketball players, that focuses on every area of athletic ability necessary for basketball. The program must be useable by someone who has no gym access, nor equipment. The program should be adjustable for both in-season and off-season use, and adjustable by level of the user's ability. Maria, being the professional that she is, made it happen.
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